


Take It Day By Day

by Reader88



Series: The Utopian Knights [4]
Category: 1980s - Fandom, Small Steps - Fandom
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-08
Updated: 2014-05-19
Packaged: 2018-01-24 01:31:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 9,720
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1586699
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Reader88/pseuds/Reader88
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nick Cannon and Ricky Rodriguez have just been released from prison on parole. They're put in the care of Big Mama at The Unconditional Orphanage in South Side Chicago. Nick and Ricky take small steps as they try to stay out of trouble and rebuild their lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

July 1981

Nick Cannon and Ricky Rodriguez were on a Greyhound bus bound for South Side Chicago. The African-American and the Mexican-American teenager were both dressed in gray shirts, black pants and grey jackets bleached by too many washings. Nick has a backpack and Ricky had a gym bag. The bus kept driving on and on. Nick and Ricky had been instructed on which stop was theirs and that they would meet their parole officers, Mr. Jones and Mr. Fuller. Nick and Ricky figured that could take one more year of being in the system, then once they turned eighteen they would pack their things and move off to someplace new. Maybe California...

Soon the bus jerked to a stop and Nick and Ricky saw one white man and one black man who had to be their parole officers outside. They might as well wear signs that yell COP! Their eyes had that deep, hard unemotional look that's saved up special for juvenile delinquents.

Nick and Ricky stepped off the bus with their stuff and Nick asked, "Are you our parole officers?"

The white man, replied, "Yes, my name is Mr. Jones and this man is Mr. Fuller."

Mr. Fuller gave them a dry smile and said, "Welcome to the South Side."

The p.o.'s directed the teens to their Cadillac and made them sit in the back.

Mr. Fuller drove while Mr. Jones talked. "The conditions of your parole are quite clear: stay out of trouble and we won't give you trouble. You guys got any ideas about where you're gonna start?"

Ricky replied, "Yeah, we plan on getting our GEDs, getting jobs and maybe joining a band."

Mr. Fuller grunted, "You boys love music?"

Nick replied, "Yeah, we love it. We even write songs."

Mr. Fuller said, "They're teaching you boys all kinds of trades in juvie nowadays."

The Cadillac stopped at a restaurant where they dined on a large Chicago-style pepperoni pizza and cold Coca-Colas which were perfect for that hot summer day. After eating prison food for over a year Nick and Ricky were finally glad to eat some real food.

They soon were back in the Cadillac driving down the streets of Chicago until they made it to the South Side. Nick and Ricky both recognized the neighborhood since they had committed crimes before in the area. Nick had stolen some nice cars and Ricky had sold marijuana to plenty of teens. Chicago was divided into several different neighborhoods and the South Side had one of the worst reputations. They soon drove through a neighborhood of small one-story houses, graffiti-sprayed walls, and grimy stores, clubs, and bars.

Mr. Fuller drove down a street marked Crestwood Boulevard and drove across the street to a large-two story house enclosed by a white-picket fence. The driveway contained a VW minivan and a VW minibus. Mr. Fuller parked in the driveway and told Nick and Ricky to get out, it was time to meet their new Mama. Nick and Ricky both though they didn't need or want another mother. The foster mothers they had had in the past were torture enough. This orphanage was going to be the same as all the others.


	2. Chapter 2

Mr. Fuller knocked on the door and a large African-American woman wearing glasses opened the door.

Mr. Jones said, "Big Mama, meet the two newest members of your family."

Nick wrinkled his nose in disgust at at that word. Family.

Big Mama gave them a warm smile and said, "Well come in, boys. Y'all hungry?"

Mr. Fuller replied, "No, ma'am, we just ate."

They walked inside and took their shoes off. Big Mama directed them to the living room where there was a couch, some other chairs, pictures on the wall, toys and boardgames on the floor, and a small TV set. Nick and Ricky sat on the coach while their parole officers talked.

"Now Big Mama these two juvenile delinquents may seem a little intimidating at first," started Mr. Jones, "but I believe they'll do well under your guardianship."

Mr. Fuller looked at Nick and Ricky and said, "Now for the terms of your parole. First, paroles will most likely be for a few months. You served fifteen months at Camp Bluethorn as opposed to the eighteen the judge sentenced you to. The parole board says you're okay psychologically but we'll see how you manage. Second, you must stay out of trouble 24/7. If I smell one sniff of trouble from you boys it's back to prison, understand? Stay away from gangs, carjackers, and drug dealers. Third, you boys stated to your counselor that you want to get GEDs and get jobs. Well, then that's exactly what you're going to do. You'll have to show us your GED certificates and pay stubs from any jobs you're working at. Finally, you boys have to wear these."

Mr. Jones took two ankle bracelets out of his briefcase. Mr. Fuller explained while Mr. Jones put a bracelet on Nick's right leg ankle and Ricky's left leg ankle, "Since you boys have a tendency to pack and run when things get tough these bracelets will make sure you can't leave the state of Illinois."

Nick asked, "Why don't you do us like Kunta Kinte and chop off our feet?"

Ricky asked, "Are these waterproof? I just wanna make sure I can take a shower without being electrocuted."

Mr. Jones replied, "Yeah, they're waterproof and have great GPS. We can track you anytime, anywhere. If you try to take them off an alarm will sound on our GPS tracker to alert us."

Mr. Fuller said, "That's about it. We'll be checking on you guys once a week. Stay out of trouble."

After the parole officers left, Big Mama took them on a little tour of the orphanage. There were several kids in the orphanage who all seemed to be filled with joy. Next to the living room was the dining room which contained long wooden tables with tablecloths and wooden benches. A door behind the dining room led to the kitchen. It was small but could hold at least ten people without cramming up. There was a large refrigerator, several wooden cupboards, a large sink and a small table. A door in the kitchen led to the backyard. In the backyard were two medium-sized trees, a swing set, a teeter-totter, a small carousel, and a slide. Down the hall behind the living room was another small room that the children used to read books, color pictures, and play games such as Monopoly or cards. The staircase led to the second floor which contained the bedrooms and the bathrooms. There was a room where Big Mama and two other women named Kim and Alicia slept, a nursery, two rooms for boys, and two rooms for girls. Nick and Ricky were directed to the room for teenage boys. They put their bags on two beds close to the door and then were shown the two bathrooms. The boys' bathroom contained several toilets lined up in a row and several bathtubs and showers lined up in a separate row. At the front were several sinks lined up in a row. The girls' bathroom looked exactly the same. Lastly, Big Mama showed them the unfinished basement. A person could tell it was unfinished because the basement contained a cold gray floor as opposed to the hardwood floors upstairs and wooden beams and pink fluffy stuff stapled to the wall. There were three washing machines, three dryers, a punching bag, and a weight set in the basement.

Big Mama said, "That's about it for the tour. You can go back to your room and wash up. If you need anything just ask."

Nick and Ricky went back to their room to sort through their stuff. But they didn't really have much stuff. They didn't even have a change of clothes. All they had were their photo albums and their notebooks. Ricky took out his trumpet, got out a small container of Brasso, and began to shine his instrument.

A tall teenager with brown hair and brown eyes came in and asked, "You guys play music?"

Nick replied, "Yeah, Ricky plays the trumpet, I sing a little, and we write songs."

The teen said, "Cool. My name is Dave Morris. What's your names?"

Nick replied, "Nick Cannon."

Ricky replied, "Ricky Rodriguez."

Dave said, "Well, if you're both serious about music there are plenty of cool nightclubs in this neighborhood."

Dave went to bed, looked under it and said, "Found that library book I gotta return. Well, see ya."

Nick and Ricky were left alone and Nick asked Ricky, "What do you think of this place?"

Ricky said, "Big Mama seems nicer than most of the foster parents I got stuck with in foster care. And all the kids seem so happy. I say we give this place a chance. What about you?"

Nick said, "Sure, I'll try it out." After a few minutes, Nick remembered, "Yo, Ricky. We don't have any change of clothes. We should probably ask Big Mama to take us to a clothing store."

The boys went downstairs and found Big Mama putting a Band-Aid on a boy's skinned knee.

Nick asked, "Yo, Big Mama. Ricky and I don't have any change of clothes. We were wondering if you could take us to a store and get us some stuff?"

Big Mama said, "Sure, honey. But I have to wait for Kim and Alicia to get back here after grocery shopping so that the kids aren't unsupervised."

So Nick and Ricky went into the living room and watched some news. An hour later, two women, one white and one black, came through the doors with several grocery bags. Nick and Ricky both got up and helped them.

The white woman said, "Thanks, guys. I've never seen you before. You must be the two new boys we're expecting."

Ricky replied, "Yes, ma'am. I'm Ricky Rodriguez."

Nick replied, "And I'm Nick Cannon."

The white woman said, "I'm Kimberly Norris but you can call me Kim."

The black woman said, "And I'm Alicia Anderson. We both help Big Mama run this place so welcome to the family."

After the four of them got all the groceries into the kitchen Big Mama drove Nick and Ricky down to The Salvation Army Thrift Store to buy them new clothes. The store was small and everything was dirt cheap. That was a good thing since everyone shopping there was dirt poor. Nick and Ricky picked out several pairs of jeans, shirts, socks and boxers. They also picked two pairs of Adidas high tops, which were great for playing basketball. Big Mama also picked out suits for each of them in case they needed to dress up for formal occasions. They went to the cash register and Big Mama paid for everything even though Nick and Ricky told her they were both given gate money. Big Mama wouldn't hear of it and insisted on paying for everything.

When they got back Nick and Ricky put their new clothes in their foot lockers and went down to eat dinner. Alicia and Kim had cooked up spaghetti and meatballs with apple pie or chocolate chip cookies for desert. Nick and Ricky hadn't tasted such a good home-cooked meal in years. Several of the kids were having conversations and talking with their mouths full. Big Mama, Alicia and Kim reminded the kids about good table manners and told the kids to swallow their food before they talked.

Kim also reminded Nick and Ricky of their table manners when she said, "Nick, Ricky, elbows off the table." At Camp Bluethorn table manners were the last thing any of the incarcerated teens thought about in the cafeteria.

After dinner Nick and Ricky went upstairs, stripped down to their boxers, and went to bed. Before they drifted off to the land of dreams they both thought that The Unconditional Orphanage seemed like a nice place. However, they still expected the worst from this place. Why should Big Mama, Kim and Alicia care about kids that aren't even theirs? The question stayed lodged in their heads as they drifted off to sleep.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day was Ricky's birthday. Ricky woke up and told Nick, "Yo, dude. Today's my birthday. July tenth. I'm officially seventeen."

Nick said, "Congrats, man. You wanna do something to celebrate?"

Ricky replied, "Sure. We can stop at a pizza joint or something."

Nick and Ricky lined up behind some other boys who were waiting to brush their teeth and take a shower. About an hour later, Nick and Ricky had washed up and changed into their new clothes. They went downstairs for breakfast. They helped themselves to cornflakes and hot chocolate. After breakfast they went upstairs and took a GED testing book out of Nick's footlocker. They had already started preparing for GED testing at Camp Bluethorn and were intent on passing the test.

They quizzed each other for hours. At around noon, Dave came in and said, "Yo, guys, they want you downstairs."

Nick asked, "Why?"

Dave replied, "Just come downstairs."

Nick and Ricky went downstairs and saw a large cake with vanilla icing that read, "Happy 17th Birthday, Ricky!!!" Ricky looked surprised and confused at the same time.

He asked, "What's all this?"

Kim said, "It is your birthday, right?"

Ricky replied, "Yeah."

Alicia asked, "And you turn seventeen today, right?"

Ricky replied, "Yeah."

Big Mama hollered, "Then there's no mistake that we have the perfect reason to throw a party!"

All the kids cheered and Alicia lit two candles that were shaped like a 1 and a 7. Everyone sang  _Happy Birthday_ and Ricky blew out the candles. A little girl asked, "What did you wish for?"

Ricky replied, "I can't tell ya. If you tell a wish it doesn't come true."

Nick rolled his eyes since he thought making wishes was a waste of time. He made a wish on the day of his eighth birthday and ever since that day none of his wishes had come true. The women got out some pizzas they had ordered and everyone ate pizza, cake and soda to their hearts' content.

After the party Nick and Ricky asked Big Mama where they could go to take a GED test. Big Mama said she could drive them down to the community center to take the test.

Alicia then asked, "Why are you boys taking the easy way? Why don't you go to high school and get your diplomas? Maybe you could even apply to a junior college."

Nick replied, "Yeah, ya see, Ricky and I haven't been caught dead in regular classrooms for years. We don't have junior high school diplomas and I don't even have an elementary school diploma. It'd be hard for us to get into high school, do a bunch of work that we don't get, and read a bunch of books that cover topics we don't care about."

Ricky added, "Our plans are to get GEDs and then hopefully find some jobs."

Kim asked, "What kinds of jobs? Do you have any special skills?"

Ricky replied, "I could fix just about anything that was broken at camp. So I'll try to find work as a handyman. Probably a janitor as well. Mr. Harvey said I practically made all the floors, walls, and windows shine when it was my turn to help clean up."

Nick added, "And I'll look for work as an auto mechanic. I'm pretty good at fixing cars."

Big Mama asked, "Are those your big plans for the future?" Ricky replied, "Well, our counselor, Mr. Harvey, said that we should learn to take it day by day. One step at a time. We have to take small steps to build better lives for ourselves."

Nick then stated, "But we do have some plans. Ricky plays the trumpet and I can sing. We also started writing songs together when we were in jail. We do have dreams of being musicians and songwriters."

Big Mama voiced her thoughts, "That's a fine dream, boys. And there's no better place to start out as a musician than Chicago. Back in the day musicians like The Impressions, The Chi-Lites Curtis Mayfield, Jerry Butler, Chaka Khan, and Earth, Wind & Fire came off these streets and spread the sound of Chicago Soul to the world. Don Cornelius was a local deejay in Chicago until he became the host of  _Soul Train_. If you wanna get into show business then I'll have your back."

Nick and Ricky were surprised by her enthusiasm and Nick said, "Gee, thanks, Big Mama." Every other foster parent that they had had in the past always stated that dreaming was a waste of time and that the chances of getting into show business were one in a million.

The next day Big Mama drove Nick and Ricky down to The Matthew Harper Community Center. It contained a public pool, an indoor gymnasium, outdoor basketball courts, a Boys' and Girls' Scouts HQ, a library and much more. Big Mama paid a fee of $240 to a person at the front desk who directed her to the GED testing area. On the second floor was a room where several people were sitting in college-style desks. Some were adults but most of them were teenagers Nick and Ricky's age. Big Mama told the boys that she would be back later to pick them up. Nick and Ricky sat at the back close to a window and waited.

A white woman came into the room and said monotonously, "Welcome to GED testing. The test is broken up into four subject tests. You will be given one hour for each subject test. You will receive a ten minute break after each test. Any cheating will result in instant confiscation of your test. Any questions? I didn't think so, let's begin."

The next four hours were intense for Nick and Ricky. The questions involved English, mathematics, history, geography, and science. The questions were mostly multiple choice which made it easier. At around 2:00 PM they finally finished and the white woman stated monotonously, "Your results will be mailed to your homes in a week or so. Have a nice day."

Nick and Ricky left, went downstairs and outside and found Big Mama and the van parked near the front. They got in the van and Big Mama asked, "How'd it go?"

Nick said, "It was fine."

Ricky added, "Yeah, it was real good. I think we passed."

About a week later their results came in the mail. Big Mama opened them and read the results. "Nick, you got a score of 760 and Ricky you got a score of 755."Since the test was out of 800 that meant Nick and Ricky had both passed. The package also included their GED certificates. With these included Nick and Ricky might be able to get jobs. Nick had applied for a job at an auto shop called Oscar's Garage and Ricky had applied for jobs at an office building, Chicago Vocational High School, and the University of Chicago.

The next day Nick went down to Oscar's Garage with his GED certificate. Oscar Clark was the black man who owned the neighborhood garage. He styled his hair in dreadlocks even though he didn't have a Jamaican accent. When Nick showed his GED certificate to Oscar, Oscar stated, "Okay, I'll put you on a week's probation. I'll see how hard you work and if you don't cause trouble I'll hire you full-time."

Nick joyfully said, "Thanks, sir! Thanks very much!"

An older guy named Ben Smith was assigned as his mentor. He gave Nick a blue mechanic's uniform to wear and said if he got hired full-time he'd have his own uniform with his name sewn on it. Ben showed Nick around the garage. It was pretty big with all the cars, vans, trucks, and even buses parked inside. Everyone had their own toolbox and worked diligently on whatever vehicle they were assigned. Work started at 8:00 AM and ended at 5:00 PM unless you volunteered for an extra shift. Lunch was at 12:00 noon and lasted for half an hour. After the tour Nick was assigned to fix a broken taillight on a Pinto and to change the tires on a school bus. The work took longer than expected and Nick was soon covered in oil, dirt, and sweat. But he still felt good at doing actual physical work. Carjacking felt dirty in comparison.

Ricky decided to go for the job at the University of Chicago since it paid the most, had reasonable hours, and he he had a deep admiration for universities. You have to work hard to get in, you have to work hard to stay in, and after a certain number of years you walk away with something worthwhile. Mr. Benson, the man in charge of the janitorial staff, decided to hire Ricky after he showed his GED certificate. Mr. Benson led Ricky to the locker room for males where he gave him a blue janitor's outfit. He showed him the closet where the mops, brooms, cleansers, dusters, and other cleaning equipment was kept. He then gave Ricky a toolbox and told him his first job was to fix the toaster in the staff room. Ricky went inside, introduced himself to the five staff members drinking coffee and they showed him the broken toaster. Ricky got out the tools and fixed the toaster in less than twenty minutes. The staff members thanked him for fixing it and he went back to the locker room. Mr. Benson then assigned him to Team D. Their schedule was stapled on a bulletin board which stated which areas of the university each team had to clean. Team D was assigned to clean Eckhart Hall. As they were mopping Ricky was introduced to the other members of his team. There was Janet Lopez, a thirty-year-old Puerto Rican women with three kids; George Smith, a white guy in his mid-twenties; Dee Dee Brown, a sassy black woman in her forties; Moe Rupert, a sixty-year-old white man looking forward to retirement; and Eric Williams, a black guy in his late twenties. Eric was the only one who eyed Ricky with suspicion.

He stated, "Listen, kid. We all know you've got a criminal record for selling dope. If you try anything funny in this establishment then you'll have to deal with me. Are we clear?"

Ricky replied, "Crystal, sir." Ricky and the others all quietly talked and joked while they mopped the hallways, emptied the garbage cans, cleaned the windows, and scrubbed the toilets. Ricky learned that the janitors got in for their shifts at 8:00 AM and left the school at 5:00 PM. They received a one-hour break for lunch at 12:00 noon.

After work, Big Mama picked up Nick from the garage and Ricky from the university.

Big Mama asked, "So how were your first days at work?"

Nick replied, "Fine. They're putting me on probation for a week then they'll hire me full-time."

Ricky revealed, "I was assigned to Team D of the janitorial department.

This guy named Eric doesn't like me but I think I can get him to warm up to me."

Nick stated flatly, "Yeah, just like how those cheerleaders at W.E.B. Du Bois were supposed to warm up to ya. That Kiki was never gonna give you her number."

Ricky said, "If I got another ten minutes with her I would have had her number and a guarantee of a first date."

Nick rolled his eyes and then asked Big Mama, "How come you care so much about a bunch of kids that aren't even yours?"

Big Mama said, "I love kids. When I was sent to live in the South Side after being released from prison working with the neighborhood kids helped lead me on the right path. I decided to open an orphanage to help kids who are stuck in the foster care system. Maybe the kids in the orphanage could help you two turn your lives around."

Ricky said, "We'll see."


	4. Chapter 4

Nick and Ricky later decided there was something else that they needed.

One day Nick asked Big Mama, "Big Mama, can you help us get drivers' licenses?"

Big Mama replied, "Sure, boys. You guys wanna learn to drive?"

Ricky stated, "Nick already knows how to drive since that's a skill you need when you're a carjacker."

Nick playfully shoved Ricky, "But Ricky doesn't know how so he'll need the lessons."

The next day Big Mama drove them down to the Vehicles Service Department to help them register for their licenses.She brought along copies of their birth certificates since they needed ID for registration and their birth certificates was one of the few pieces of ID Big Mama had. After waiting in line for an hour Nick and Ricky were seen at the front desk where they answered basic questions about their birth dates and places of birth. They then took a vision test and filled out a small questionnaire that asked basic questions, such as "Do you suffer from asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, or any other medical condition that could impair your driving abilities?", "Do you require corrective lenses?" and "Do you have a prior criminal record?" They answered the questions truthfully, even the last one and then were taken into a separate room for their written test. They both passed and were issued learner's permits. They could take a driving test after they had had lessons with an experienced driver.

Teenagers at the orphanage who already had their driver's licenses took turns teaching them how to drive. Nick already knew most of the skills but had to remember to obey traffic laws such as keeping to the speed limit, stopping at stop signs, and obeying traffic lights. For Ricky this was his first time operating a vehicle and he had a lot to learn but soon he could drive a car as well as Nick.

Mr. Jones and Mr. Fuller, their parole officers, were impressed with how well the boys were adjusting. They had GEDs, full-time jobs, and were working hard to get their licenses. Mr. Jones said that if they kept up the hard work their ankle bracelets would be off by the minimum date in October. Nick and Ricky had also kept in contact with their roommates from Camp Bluethorn: Devin Morris, Peter McKinley, Max Owens, Julio Santiago, T. Rex, and Sketch. Julio and Sketch lived in West Side Chicago; T. Rex, Devin, and Peter lived in South Side Chicago; and Max lived with his aunt in Paterson, New Jersey. Nick and Ricky felt that these jailbirds were like family to them so they didn't want to lose touch. Their paroles were going fine and life seemed to be heading in the right direction for them.

Ricky told Nick while they were relaxing in the backyard, "When I moved to America I found it interesting that even though an American salary is higher than a Mexican salary, American people stayed poor. At least, the ones in the ghetto. I learned that a salary means next to nothing. If you wanna be somebody you gotta have a business of your own."

Nick relied, "A guy at Plainfield once said that America is a land of businesses. Everything you eat, wear, watch, or do is a product or service you could be selling for the right price."

Ricky said, "The reason most people stay in the ghetto is because they don't develop a product or build up a skill."

Nick said, "We got skills. Music is a multi-million dollar business. If we want a cut of that pie we gotta develop our musical skills."

Nick and Ricky spread word through the 'hood that they were musicians and songwriters looking for a group. They also went down to a nightclub called The Jolly Cherry to gather inspiration from other Chicago musicians. One performer they admired was a black man named Daniel Campbell. He possessed a fabulous vocal range. It sent chills down their spines and smiles to their faces. His voice could help the people escape and forget their tough lives and teach them to have fun.

Soon the summer ended and September rolled in. All the kids in the orphanage got up early to get ready for school. Nick and Ricky also had to get up early to make it to their jobs on time. Nick's job as a mechanic was tough and mind-nubbing most of the time but he didn't mind working hard. There was plenty to do at work: changing tires, replacing engines, fixing broken windows and doors, replacing and fixing wires, etc. The list was pretty endless. He worked on cars, vans, and even buses. Ricky had plenty to do at the University of Chicago. He mopped the floors, swept the staircases, emptied garbage bins, wiped windows, scrubbed toilets, etc. He was also called to fix broken lights, broken windows, clogged up sinks, wacky machinery, and many other things in the university. After work sometimes Nick and Ricky would visit the library at the community center to check out some books. They checked out classics such as _The Grapes of Wrath_ , _To Kill a Mockingbird_ and _Invisible Man_. They stopped by the bank to cash their paychecks and gave half of their salaries to the orphanage.

Nick and Ricky were confused by their feelings for the orphanage, Big Mama, Kim, Alicia, and the children. Nick had a constant shadow, a little white girl named Tia.

When she asked Nick to read her a bedtime story, Nick said, "I ain't reading you a bedtime story. Get Big Mama, Kim or Alicia to do it."

Big Mama came into the boys' bedroom and said, "What is going on here?"

Tia said, "I want Nick to read me a bedtime story but he doesn't want to."

Nick said, "I ain't readin' her a story and you can't make me."

Big Mama gave him a look and the next thing he knew, he was reading Tia _The Cat in the Hat_. Nick remembered when his mom and dad read him bedtime stories but that was a lifetime ago. Tia said Nick was a great reader and she always gave him a look of genuine affection like he was the greatest thing since sliced bread. Nick had never felt such affection from anyone, not even Ricky. Ricky enjoyed playing boardgames with the kids, especially Monopoly. He even taught them how to play basketball out on the South Side courts. One day Ricky and the kids were drawing pictures and one boy named Johnny held up a picture he drew of him and Ricky playing basketball. Ricky said it was a masterpiece.

On October 8th, 1981, Nick turned seventeen but he couldn't stop crying on the day of his birthday. He went outside to the backyard and couldn't stop sobbing.

Ricky came outside and asked, "Hey, man, why are you so upset?"

Nick kept on crying until Big Mama came outside and gently asked him, "Baby, what's the matter?"

Nick replied, "Today is my birthday."

Ricky asked, "What's so bad about that?"

Nick told them, "On the day of my eighth birthday three men came into my apartment and asked my dad where he had hidden his loot. My dad used to be a thief and ran with some dangerous criminals. He told the guy, I think his name was Tom, where the loot was and then he shot them both. I watched from the closet and couldn't stop crying over their lifeless bodies. I was put through the foster system, fled to the streets, and look at how my life has turned out."

Nick kept on crying and Big Mama comforted him. "Nick, what happened to your parents was a terrible thing," stated Big Mama. "But I know they wouldn't want you to spend your life grieving them and taking your anger out through crime. All your anger is gonna lead you to is a jail cell or a graveyard. Your parents wouldn't want you to become what they used to be, what ended their lives. They'd want you to live your life to the fullest and reach for your dreams."

Ricky added, "Yeah, man. My parents were murdered when I was six. Then my Uncle Eddie was shot when I was eight, Aunt Rose was killed by a brain aneurysm, and Aunt Juanita died from liver cancer. I've faced plenty of tragedy in my life but anger isn't gonna bring the people I love back. Plus, the love they showed me hasn't left this world. It's still inside my heart and I've learned that I can still love and care about people. Nick, you're my best friend and I care about you. We're gonna stick together, no matter what!"

Nick smiled and said, "Thank you. Those are the most heartfelt things anyone's told me in years."

When Nick and Ricky got home from work they saw a medium-sized cake that said, "Happy Birthday, Nick." They stuffed themselves with cake and pizza. When Nick went to bed he decided that this was the best birthday he had had since October 8th, 1972.

A few days later, Mr. Fuller and Mr. Jones came to visit and said that Nick and Ricky had made such a great adjustment that they were taking them to court to officially get them off parole. Mr. Jones took off their ankle bracelets and Nick and Ricky thanked them for their help, patience, and support. The kids were also happy that Nick and Ricky were off parole.

Tia said, "Nick and Ricky are the nicest guys in the whole world."

Johnny added, "Yeah, they're too nice to be real criminals." Nick and Ricky couldn't stop blushing.


	5. Chapter 5

Since a Nick and Ricky still hadn't joined a band, they signed up for martial arts lessons. The training center was called a dojang and it was run by Koreans. The martial art they taught was hapkido, a highly eclectic martial art. The fighting style incorporated kicks, punches, joint locks, pressure points, grappling, and throwing techniques. The Koreans also taught the use of weapons, which included swords, knives, ropes, staffs, sticks, and nunchaku. Since the streets were getting dangerous, martial arts training was a good idea for self-defense.

1981 rolled by and soon 1982 started. A young black man named Keith Barker came to the orphanage and asked Nick and Ricky if they wanted to join his band, The Bomb Squad. Nick and Ricky couldn't say, "Yes," fast enough! Keith's house wasn't far from the orphanage. Nick and Ricky went there to practice before and after they left for work in the morning. The Bomb Squad was set up in the living room with all sorts of musical instruments and equipment. There was a drummer, a keyboardist, two guys who were vocalists and dancers, one guy on lead guitar, and one guy on bass guitar.

After everyone was introduced the drummer asked, "Is it true you guys are songwriters? Because we need something original for our band to stick out."

Nick said, "Yeah, we got about a hundred songs written down in our notebook."

Nick and Ricky showed the guys the songs they had written and they started figuring out how to break them wide open.

Different fashion statements were taking the 1980s by storm. Nick restyled his Afro into hair twists. Since some blacks wanted to retain some semblance of the length they had enjoyed before, blacks in the ghetto were sporting hair twists, Jheri curls, and shags. Other blacks who didn't enjoy long hair sported Caesar cuts and rattails. White boys were sporting mullets and Mohawks. However, Ricky disliked fancy hairstyles on his head and stuck to short and simple black hair.

When Nick and Ricky weren't working at their day jobs or making music they would usually go to the movies. The 1980s saw the rise of the blockbuster; the popularization of several different movie genres, such as science fiction, teen comedy, and action; and sequels galore. Nick and Ricky's favourite 80s movies included _E.T._ _the Extra-Terrestrial_ , _Beverly Hills Cop_ , _The Breakfast Club_ , _Ferr_ _is Bueller's Day Off_ , _The Karate Kid_ , _Back to the Future_ , and the _Indiana Jones_ film series.

The biggest star of the 1980s was Michael Jackson. He had released his _Thriller_ album in November 1982. Nick and Ricky had bought a copy of the album and thought it sounded better than _Off the Wall_. But the one thing that made _Thriller_ stand out was Michael Jackson's music videos. "Billie Jean" was incredible and featured Michael with Jheri curled hair, a black leather jacket, a pink shirt, and red bow tie and tiles that illuminated when he danced onto them. "Beat It" was considered a masterpiece to Nick, Ricky, and most of their friends. It acknowledged the problem of gangs and street violence and featured Michael uniting two gangs, the Crips and Bloods, through the power of dance. The main message of the video was violence is not the answer to the problem of inner-city crime. But all that paled in comparison to _Motown 25: Yesterday, Today and Forever_. The show was a TV special to celebrate Motown's 25th anniversary. Motown was one of Nick and Ricky's favorite record labels so they watched it when it was broadcast on May 16th, 1983 along with everybody else in the orphanage. Michael appeared with his brothers and did a medley of classic J5 songs. Then Michael did a solo performance of his #1 hit "Billie Jean." The performance was amazing and during the bridge Michael executed a dance move called the Moonwalk. It looked like he was trying to walk forward while being pulled backward. At the end of the performance the audience gave a deafening applause as did Nick, Ricky, Big Mama, and everyone else in the orphanage. After that sales of Michael's  _Thriller_ album skyrocketed. But the cherry on top was a short film titled  _Michael Jackson's Thriller_. It was released on December 2nd, 1983 on MTV. The short film was 13 minutes long, featured Michael transforming into a werecat and zombie and Michael dancing with the living dead. It was bold, daring, terrifying, exhilarating, and pure genius. Soon everyone in the South Side, kids, teenagers, and adults, were dressing up like Michael, trying to sing like Michael, and trying to perfect the Moonwalk. Michael Jackson had become bigger than life.

Nick and Ricky were often seen sporting the red leather J. Parks brand jacket from MJ's "Beat It" music video and the candy-apple-red jacket with black strips that MJ wore in his "Thriller" music video, respectively. At parties Nick wore a black sequined jacket with a fedora and a rhinestone glove and Ricky wore a black sequined military jacket adorned with red sequined epaulets and cuff links with a rhinestone glove. 

The 1980s saw the emergence of several new musical genres. Nick and Ricky had grown up listening to and playing disco. However, disco "died" by the early '80s and saw the emergence of several new genres: dance-pop, synth-pop, post-disco, house, hip-hop, urban contemporary, et cetera. Other popular musical artists during the '80s included AC/DC, Van Halen, U2, Lionel Richie, Run-D.M.C., Prince, Rick James, Janet Jackson, Whitney Houston, and Madonna. Nick and Ricky had an eclectic taste in music and listened to just about anything. They tried to incorporate several styles into their music and songwriting. Nick and Ricky also pooled their money together to buy a boombox since they couldn't afford to buy two Walkmans. Now Nick and Ricky could take their music anywhere they wanted and they also participated in breakdance battles on the streets of the ghetto. The boombox soon became a symbol of urban culture and was popular with inner-city youth.

Nick and Ricky were determined to achieve musical fame and fortune with The Bomb Squad. They practiced everyday after work, usually in the unfinished basement of The Unconditional Orphanage because it was the largest space they could find for their rehearsals. The Bomb Squad were able to get gigs around town but they weren't rising in popularity like Nick and Ricky thought. Still, they knew hard work equaled success so they refused to quit on the band. Since hip-hop had achieved so much popularity, Nick and Ricky came up with an idea to fuse together R&B, soul and hip-hop to help create a new sound. The Bomb Squad liked the idea and soon they started to win more talent shows and get more gigs as Nick and Ricky's great idea was gaining popularity.

In the fall of 1983 Nick and Ricky showed up at Keith's house for practice but Keith told them they wouldn't be practicing at his house.

Keith stated, "A man named Paul Tubman has a small recording studio in his basement. He called me yesterday and said he would be more than happy to record The Bomb Squad."

The band geared up and then they got into Keith's car and two others so that they could drive to their first recording session. Nick and Ricky had gotten their drivers' licenses in early 1982 so they also took turns driving the kids to different places in the orphanages' vans. But they knew that they needed to get a car of their own. Once they got to the address they knocked on the door of the bungalow and met Mr. Tubman, who was just as excited as they were. They went downstairs into the basement where they saw lots of instruments, equipment, and a sound booth. They stepped into a sound booth and started to perform one of Nick and Ricky's songs. Mr. Tubman didn't like the idea of fusing soul with hip-hop and decided to stick with contemporary R&B and pop. After a few hours, they finished a song. The song was catchy and dance-able.

The Bomb Squad mailed the demo to several record labels and kept on waiting for the call that would signal their big break. But it never came. In February 1984, The Bomb Squad recorded another demo. But the record labels still didn't call.

A few months later, the bands' discouragement at their limited musical success came to a head when one of the band members said, "I'm tired of this crap. We ain't makin' no money or getting nowhere. Man, I quit!"

A second member said, "I quit, too."

Soon all the members had quit leaving Nick, Ricky, and Keith alone Keith's living room.

Keith said, "Maybe they're right, you two. Maybe we just ain't no good."

Keith went into his kitchen so Nick and Ricky left.

While they were driving home in their 1969 Pontiac GTO, Nick asked, "Yo, dawg, you wanna give up?"

Ricky said, "No way! We have a notebook full of songs. We just don't have a band."

It seemed that fame and fortune wouldn't be as easy to achieve as Nick and Ricky thought. Ricky helped sum up their problems by stating, "Success comes before work only in the dictionary."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> When Nick Cannon (the actor) was a teenager he and his friend created a hip-hop group called Da Bomb Squad. In the movie, "Men in Black II," the hairstyle Nick Cannon sports are hair twists; he also sports hair twists in "Love Don't Cost A Thing" after he re-styles his Afro but his hair twists in "Men in Black II" are cooler.


	6. Chapter 6

Nick and Ricky were back at square one: swinging work at The Jolly Cherry and any other nightclubs willing to spare some cash. But they soon went back to working full-time at their jobs as an auto mechanic and janitor/handyman because their work at nightclubs wasn't bringing in much cash. One day while Nick was at the garage trying to fix something under a car Oscar came up to him and gave him a paycheck.

Ben said, "Sorry, Nick. This is a small amount of money I hope will help ya out."

Nick asked, "What's goin' on? I'm being laid off? Is that what you're tellin' me?"

Ben replied, "I've got no other alternatives. I need to lay off someone to keep this garage going, and since you're the newest employee it's gotta be you."

Nick asked, "How long will I be gone? A month? Six months?"

Ben said, "At max maybe a few months. I'll call ya when things get better."

Nick packed up his things and left the garage thinking,  _This is all I need right now. This is all I need._

When Nick got home he had to tell Big Mama, Kim, Alicia, and Ricky that he had been laid off.

Ricky replied, "Don't worry, man. We'll get by. Plus, you get to take a little break from work."

Kim added, "Yeah, Nick, don't let this ruin your day, you'll be back on your feet in no time."

Alicia stated, "In the meanwhile, we'll try to cut back on the electric bill and gas bill. Plus, we'll have to see how many clothes we can afford for the kids with the new school year coming in. Don't worry, we'll make it."

Nick was laid off for three whole months. Ricky worked double shifts at the university to help pay the bills but Nick felt guilty whenever he saw his friend's calloused hands. Ricky said they didn't hurt much but Nick could tell he was lying.

Eric, one of Ricky's co-workers, asked Ricky, "You sure look tired, Ricky."

Ricky yawned and said, "I am. The kids kept waking me up in the middle of the night for drinks of water and to check under their beds, in their closets, and even the bathrooms for monsters."

George told Ricky, "I hear you've got so many kids, you gotta sleep in shifts."

Ricky replied, "Sleeping ain't the problem. Keeping them all fed, clothed, in school, and out of trouble is the real problem."

Janet asked, "Don't you still play the trumpet with that band of yours?"

Ricky replied, "The band broke up. That was the dream. This is reality."

Also, Ricky's salary and the salaries of the other janitors at the university had been cut. Food was running low and there wasn't enough money to get groceries at The Salvation Army. So Nick and Ricky were forced to drive out to the country near Evanston and help the farmers harvest their vegetables and other crops in exchange for a portion of the yield.

Nick was picking through a carrot field and stated, "Look at what it's come to for us. What we have to do to make sure those kids don't starve to death."

Ricky said, "If ya don't eat, ya don't live. Survival is one thing I know you understand."

Nick said, "I don't wanna survive. I wanna _live_."

Ricky said, "Come on, man. It'll be getting dark soon. We need to get home." They also borrowed fishing gear from their neighbors so that they could catch fish in Lake Michigan. Even though they had no fishing experience they still brought home some fish because they learned fast. They had to, to make sure the kids didn't starve to death.

When Nick was laid off he helped drop the kids off at school. But he soon found out that after he dropped the kids off some of them didn't enter the school building. One day Nick answered a call at the orphanage and a teacher at Susan B. Anthony Junior High School was asking how a boy named Andrew was feeling. Nick was confused but then stated that Andrew was feeling fine and would be back at school really soon.

That afternoon Nick asked Andrew, "How come you've been skipping school for three days?"

Andrew replied. "'Cause it's a drag, man. I don't need those dumb school books to make it in life. I'm gonna be a pro boxer."

Nick stated, "You won't get anywhere without a good education. Start hitting those books. I'll help you out if you want to."

Andrew said, "Do I have to?"

Nick stated, "Yes, you have to. Don't become like Ricky and me, hang out with a bad crowd, and get sent to jail. Go to college, get a degree, make something of yourself. And if I find out you've been skipping school again, you'll be grounded so long Ricky and I will write country and western songs about it. Understand?"

Joshua replied, "Yes, sir."

Ricky also saw how easily kids got into trouble when a kid named Marcus informed him that a friend of his named Jake was selling drugs to kids at the middle school. Ricky confronted Jake after school was over. Ricky told him, "Dude, I used to think that selling drugs was a great get-rich-quick scheme. But all it gave me was fifteen months in juvie. I was lucky. Most other guys caught selling dope usually end up dead in a drive-by shooting. I want to make sure you don't make the same mistakes that countless guys, including me, made."

Jake listened to him and replied, "Well, I'm not making all the money for myself. My mom's been laid-off for the past five months. I couldn't find anybody who was gonna hire a fourteen-year-old kid so some guys introduced me to the dope business."

Ricky said, "Maybe I can talk to them, too. What job does your mother have?"

Jake replied, "She worked as a janitor at an office building."

Ricky replied, "Really? Well, I'm a janitor too, at the University of Chicago. Maybe I can help your mom get a job."

Ricky then walked Jake home and they explained everything to his mom. Jake's mom was disappointed that Jake was selling drugs but was glad that Ricky might be able to get a job for her. Two days later Jake's mom was the newest member of the janitorial staff at the University of Chicago.

Ricky also found himself being tempted by other drug dealers in the area. When he was walking around the block some guys yelled out from a Mustang, "Yo, Ricky! Where ya goin'?" Ricky saw that the two guys in the front were white guys named Dylan and Cole. Ricky was surprised that they knew his name since he had never met them before. That wasn't good.

Ricky replied, "Just takin' it easy after my shift at the university."

Dylan called from the driver's side, "We can give you a ride. Sharese can sit on your lap."

A gorgeous black girl called from the back, "Hi, Ricky."

Ricky replied, "Doesn't look like you have much room."

Dylan said, "Don't worry. There's always room for a fellow dealer. We heard you used to be in the business."

Ricky frowned and said, "I've put that all behind me. I ain't dealin' with drugs no more."

Dylan asked, "Are you sure? Work with us and you'll make all the money you'll ever need."

Ricky said, "Thanks but I have other things I have to do."

The Mustang drove by and Cole yelled, "Fool!" out of the window.

When Nick got his job back his salary and that of the other mechanics had also been cut. Most of the people in the ghetto were blaming their sufferings at President Ronald Reagan and his "Reaganomics" program. Reaganomics helped increase the salary of the upper-class but the budget cuts were trickling down and affecting the working-class. People in the South Side were laid off from their jobs and some even lost them. The unemployment rate was rising more and more each year. The people who did manage to hold on to their jobs, such as Nick and Ricky, experienced cuts in their salaries. Times were tough and folks looked for other ways to make money. Nick and Ricky were still looking for a band that might need songwriters since money brought in from musical gigs helped support the orphanage. Nick and Ricky would also visit the local casino and play cards or shoot some pool to make some extra cash. Gambling was one of the most popular methods in the South Side to earn extra money. But most joined up with gangs, sold drugs, robbed houses and stores, and committed other petty crimes to get some extra cash. The crime rate was also rising; albeit at a much faster rate than previous decades.

Nick and Ricky also decided to attend church one Sunday because Big Mama thought they could benefit from it.

Nick exclaimed, "I ain't got time for no Jesus jokers! If God does exist He doesn't give a shit about me. If He did my parents wouldn't be dead and I wouldn't be all alone."

Ricky stated, "I used to go to church but can't remember the last time I went or the last time I prayed. Since God never answered my prayers and took away everyone I loved I return the favor by not having anything to do with Him."

Nick said, "Besides we attended a service at Camp Bluethorn. Some Baptist preacher trying to say the Lord is our Shepherd. Like we're sheep who need herding. Being sheep is what got us in the slammer in the first place."

Ricky added, "Plus, the preacher said there's all these stories of God raising people from the dead. If he's got that much power why doesn't he use it to bring back the people we love?"

Big Mama replied, "I know you boys have had rough lives but if you go to the church and talk to the pastor maybe he can help explain a few things."

The next Sunday Nick and Ricky woke up early to attend the sermon at The Church of the Living God. When Ricky read the church sign he also saw written underneath **COGIC**. Ricky asked, "What's COGIC stand for?"

Alicia said, "The Church of God in Christ. It's the denomination the church belongs to, the Pentecostal church."

Nick said, "In Roxbury there's a church called The Church of Christ In Roxbury. There are as many churches in the 'hood as there are liquor stores."

Ricky said, "My parents and I went to a Catholic church in Mexico City. When I moved to the USA my aunts and uncle went to Catholic churches, too. I ain't been in a Catholic church or any kind of church since Aunt Juanita died. But going to a Pentecostal church makes me no never mind."

An African-American man named Pastor Woods preached that Sunday and explained how Jesus wanted people to be like children. "Anyone who doesn't accept the kingdom of God like a little boy or girl won't get inside," he explained. At the end of the service Nick and Ricky asked the pastor a few questions.

Nick asked, "If God loves us why does He allow bad things to happen?"

Pastor Woods explained, "Some people say that it's a way for us to grow closer to God."

Nick snorted, "Did the exact opposite for me."

Ricky also asked, "If God is so perfect and humanity isn't, why would He create the whole world? What's the point of creation?"

Pastor Woods explained, "Everything that God creates is all part of His big plan. God has plans for the world and humanity that are so big only He can see them." Answers led to more questions and soon Nick and Ricky found themselves coming back to the church more and more often. They were both intrigued by God and His son, Jesus.

One day Nick found himself praying to God for the first time in his life. He said, "God, it's Nick. I guess you already knew that. I thought that you didn't care about me because of what happened to my parents and the years I spent on the streets. But it was my fault I ended up in jail and I guess that you're probably looking out for me since I'm not dead. Music is the number one thing I love to do. So I was wondering if you could help me and Ricky make it in show business, but not for our benefit. We wanna help Big Mama with her foundation. We want to help her build more orphanages across the country so that she can help all the orphans who are alone and abandoned. We wanna make enough money to send the kids to college so that they can get out of the South Side and see their dreams come true. Well, that's all I've got to say."

Ricky also found himself praying for the first time in years. "God, I know I messed up real bad and I haven't talked to you in years. But I just wanna say I'm sorry and ask for your forgiveness. I also wanna say thanks for helping me meet Nick. He's the best friend a guy could ever ask for. And thanks for sending us to this orphanage. I never knew a game of hide-and-seek could give me so much pleasure. I never knew that a box of crayons, a Monopoly board game, a basketball, and a trumpet would be my greatest treasures. I love these kids. Taking care of them gives my life purpose and has helped me realize my own forgotten dreams. Thank you, Jesus. By the way, tell my mom, dad, aunts, and uncle that I said hi."

Nick and Ricky were both working regular shifts at their jobs and it seemed like their lives were back on track. They managed to pay the bills and none of the kids were going to bed hungry but life in the South Side just seemed like one big dead end.

One day Nick and Ricky were sorting through the laundry when Ricky said, "Yo, man, we both turned eighteen. We can always leave and find our own place. Maybe pool our money together and move to California."

Nick replied, "I've thought about it but I don't feel like leaving. This orphanage is the only place that's felt like home to me since my parents died. These kids need us and we can't turn our backs on them. We both know that running away never solves anyone's problems."

Ricky said, "Yeah, I feel the same way. I just wanted to see how you feel about everything. Plus, Steven and his band, The Music Masters, keep on asking if we want to join their band since they need good songwriters. So we both agree to stay in the South Side for the kids?"

Nick said, "Yeah, that sounds like a plan."


End file.
